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drakengard 3: two

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So hypothetically, if you're an atheist (no judgement on people who aren't! ♥) and then learn your magic is the result of divine intervention, does that change things for you?

I happen to be in Enprise, so they can count as a debate!

Oooooor~! I might wander around and anyone can try to steal some coins [ inserted image of twenty weird coins ] from me if they can find me! I was a priness in another life and I'm the only staff member of the Stone Pegasus Casino left in town, so I count as double rich, maybe? Either way, it might be fun to see how daring people can get!

[ Feel free to respond with like action stuff about trying to find her, or have threads lead into that. she's being vague on purpose and moving around. ]

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[the bop to her head hurts only a little and she's giggling, breaking character for a moment at the idea of everything that's just happened here. she can't keep it in—hammed burgers? it's so ridiculous. but once the burst of giggles has run its way out of her system, she clears her throat and steadies her gaze back up at her highness.]

You are free to enlighten me however you wish, your highness. My growth as a knight is in your extremely capable hands.

[ Natalia... once more rests the rapier pommel on Lina's head and... ]

You're already something special, Lina. But I'll mold my knight into something truly amazing.

[ Was that... affectionate...? Or maybe she was fucking with Lina? ]

[there are a couple responses Lina could give there, and the flirtatious one is easy—and, of course, the one she'll go with. but it's hard to hide the way her whole face softens at being called special.]

I can't wait to find out all the ways you choose to mold me, your highness. I promise to make it easy for you.

[ Promising to make it easy for her... sheesh ]

Do I even need to win our game then, if you're making it so easy for me?

[and that's when Lina's grin gets a little more mischievous.]

I said I'd make it easy for you to mold your knight. I didn't say anything else was going to be easy. Now, your highness, do knights not receive salaries? I merely ask for one coin. A pittance.

[once she gets all of them, the hardest part will be keeping them, but... eh, she'll figure that out later. coming up with schemes on the fly has been working fine so far.]

Alas, I cannot give that, fair Carmelina. After all, you already have four times that pittance, and I would not to indulge your greed and besmirch your honor.

[ The rapier, now flipped to have the blade pointed at Lina, comes out again. This time she gently rubs the metal of the thing against Lina's cheek, as softly and gently (again, it has no "blade" other than the point, even if not the point is pointed... well, at the other) as if it were her hand there, a bizarre and perhaps threatening affection. ]

[haha... ha. oh. Lina will unpack, at some point much later on, the way she really enjoys the feeling of being talked to and treated like this. like she's staring face-to-face with a direct threat that is just toying with her and could end her in a moment if she were so inclined.]

[which is not always the vibe she gets from Natalia, but when she's like this, she feels to Lina like the reason the phrase "out of your league" exists.]

It was worth a try. [she breaks character with just a little bit of nervousness, definitely doing her best not to let her thoughts show, but slips back into it pretty seamlessly.] All right, your highness, from now on I will serve with utmost honor and respect.

It was worth a shot.

[ she'll agree, again nuzzling her with the rapier "blade" before she laughs a little, pulls the blade back, and puts it back in its scabbard with a fluid movement. smiling, she takes a half-step back. ]

But good, I'm glad!

[and Lina, still sticking to the bit (can it be called a bit anymore?), will not rise until she's been allowed to. but it does raise an important question.]

What does my fealty mean for the terms of our bet, then? [because this has definitely gotten a little out of hand by now.] Should I even bother trying to get that last coin from you when you could just order me to give them all back right now?

Mmm, probably not, to be honest. It wouldn't be fitting if a knight was able to order their princess to do anything. Who knows what untoward things your feelings might make?

[ But she motions to Lina.

Go on, Rise. It's fine. ]

[and Lina does get to her feet, and she regards her princess with the respect someone of her newfound position would deserve. by giving her a coy grin.]

But you were completely fine with any untoward things I might have done if I were not your knight? Maybe I made a mistake.

[that's a joke. you know, like this whole thing was supposed to be?]

Would I have had much choice in those circumstances?

[ She bats her eyelashes, the reality of what Lina's asking made significantly more unclear under the many layers of the bit here. ]

You always have a choice in these things, your highness.

[she's in way too deep but she's not sure she would want to pull out even if she remembered how. she's at least kind of steering this back towards actual, real conversation instead of jokes being taken way too seriously. she sounds as serious as she can while the memory of being knighted is still fresh in her mind.]

Your choice in what we do has mattered more than mine since even before today. You do know that, don't you?

[ Since before today... huh. Natalia gives a somewhat knowing look at that, but it dissolves into a giggle quickly. It's flattering, but it's also somewhat - she's not sure how fair she is right now. She's not sure how much she can commit, but she also wants and enjoys the idea of Lina committing to her. And as such she... ]

Have you always seen it that way?

I mean...

[she can't just say yes outright, but she can probably imply it pretty strongly by just slightly nodding her head—before she explains, of course.]

It's like I said when we went out drinking. [she remembers most of that night and she's honestly really, really happy she does.] I know I move fast and I know why I move fast, but that doesn't mean you have to be comfortable with it. And I want to keep you as a friend no matter what else happens between us.

[she takes the coins in one hand and extends it, palm down, so she can return them.]

So if I do anything you aren't okay with, I want you to have the chance to tell me.

[ Natalia can tell, and she's...

It's odd. She wonders if she feels a little bit excited because Lina has come in so fast. She wonders if she feels worried because it suggests that Lina is fickle in the first place, or she wonders... a lot of things, really. With the rapier put away, she offers her hand out there to take the coins back from Lina. That symbolic gesture really does excite her just a little bit more. ]

I don't think I've refused a single thing yet, Lina.

[maybe she is fickle. or maybe she just hasn't found somebody to reciprocate yet because she scares people off. maybe Natalia is the closest she's come in years and she doesn't want to ruin it. there really are a lot of things to bring up, and they've all been running through her head on and off whenever thoughts of Natalia rise to the surface. especially lately, after the kiss.]

Maybe you haven't. [she gives her highness a soft smile and lets her hard-fought bounty return to the hands of the one who granted it to her.] But I don't want you to think you can't.

[ . . . There's a long moment here, or at least it feels long in Natalia's head. Because she needs to put the coins back in her purse, and she does so quickly enough after getting them. But once they're in hand she hums and... locks eyes with the other.

She shouldn't think she can't, huh? ]

Well, Lina, as a bit of advice... [ She leans in a little more so she can whisper this softer to her, ] Please don't assume you will always be the one pushing things.

[ The implication here could be manyfold: Lina has the right to refuse too. Natalia is into her as well. Perhaps it's just her trying to seem cool? Maybe -- a lot. Maybe a lot of things. Natalia isn't even 100% certain what it is. ]

[oh! that sentence is... that's a good sentence. Lina likes hearing it, even if it's hard to place exactly what Natalia means. but she tries her best to keep her cool, to keep her smile demure and not be taken completely off-guard by it. and with just the tiniest hint of a smirk, her smile becoming lopsided for just a second, she straightens up (getting harder by the day) and gives her highness a sincere look instead.]

I would never assume anything about you for a second. I'd never even pretend to know what you're going to do next.

[that's been the constant with them this entire time, right? Natalia constantly taking her by surprise, even when Lina swerves their conversations and drives them to the least expected places. holding the wheel means nothing when Natalia's feet are on the pedals.]

[ She would never assume anything about her? Natalia giggles at that, and it's a knocking sort of thing. She rocks a little bit on on her heels, still in Lina's personal space and, ]

Now you have something else to worry about. Technically, this means I win, right?

[oh... oh, does it? while usually she'd love to play coy at that, she had actually kind of forgotten that this would fulfill the terms of their bet in Natalia's favor. her eyes widen slightly, and for a moment she's not sure how to respond.]

I—oh. I guess it does, doesn't it? [damn. not that she would've ever let Natalia win anything; this really was her just kind of... getting too swept up in things and actually forgetting.] I hope you won't be too cruel about what you ask me to do.

I think I'll hold onto it for now, if you're okay with that.

[ Natalia why are you like this? She's beaming all the same!! ]

[she'll... hold on to it. oh. well, surely that won't come back to bite her later.]

Well, you are the one who made the bet in the first place. I guess I can't argue. [also the whole fealty thing! that she will, of course, always adhere to, forever.] I hope you use that power responsibly, your highness.

Don't worry! When the time comes, I promise it'll be a fun humiliation for you!

[ Natalia why. But she laughs all the same and now a little bit more controlled and in a very, very bright mood apparently after all that knighting thing she offers Lina a hand and, ]

But for now, you had to have made your mouth a little dry from that. Want to get some tea or a smoothie?

Is that your subtle way of calling me thirsty, your highness?

[it's not very subtle. she's sure it's a legitimate invitation, but it's also the truth and Lina would be doing herself a disservice not to comment on it, even as she takes Natalia's hand.]

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nachetanya - 2018-08-22 16:54 (UTC) - Expand

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